Iran police fire in air to disperse protesters

Reuters
Thursday, July 9, 2009

Iranian police fired in the air to disperse pro-reform demonstrators in central Tehran on Thursday, nearly four weeks after a disputed election triggered mass protests in the capital, a witness said.

The witness also said he saw police detaining several people among about 250 protesters who had gathered near Tehran University in defiance of a ban on gatherings for the anniversary of violent student demonstrations in 1999.

It appeared to be the worst outbreak of unrest in Tehran since security forces last month quelled days of opposition protests over the June 12 election, which moderate opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad say was rigged in his favour.

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“Police are shooting in the air and they have arrested several people,” the witness said.

Another witness at the scene in downtown Tehran said: “Police used tear gas twice to disperse the crowd. There were also many Basij militia on motorbikes patrolling the area.”

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